Great thought for the day

I LOVE what I read today in my inbox from Teaching Good Things. One of the most important things about educating our children at home.......

Relationship
-Don't sacrifice your relationship with your child over getting school done.
-Do not squeeze them into a box while you crush their spirit. Education is not a one size fits all.
-Always expect THEIR best, not yours. Just because you excel at something does not mean they will. Push them to their limits, but not over the edge.
-If one of you (or both of you), are crying, angry or frustrated at the end of the day, take a breather and connect your hearts. Make sure they know your love is not based on passing a test.
-If what you are doing is not working, draw back, get recommendations from others and tweak your approach and/or curriculum!
-If you have your child's heart and your relationship is good, they will put forth extra efforts to do a good job. If they feel stupid, or that they can never measure up, they will quit trying and cut you off emotionally.
-A passing grade, certificate, diploma or degree is never worth damaging your relationship. The relationship MUST come first.

I think when Mom's are just starting out with homeschooling, there is a certain pressure felt to know we are doing a good job and that we are capable of teaching our children. Our efforts are very much put into showing that our children are getting good grades and that they are accomplishing more than their public education peers. Sometimes this can strain our relationship with our children because we feel like WE are the ones under a microscope being watched! Ohhhh how much I learned through the first 2 years especially from homeschooling. How many of these points listed above I had to experience before coming to the realization that I am not out to prove anything. I am called of God to teach my children more than just academics but to teach them how to be soldiers for the Lord. I have them only for a short time to guide and help mold them into the individuals God wants them to be. Homeschooling is soooo much more than academic knowledge!!!
At the end of the day, did we help to shape their spiritual lives or were we more concerned with how well they knew their phonics rules and math equations?
Our priority should be their heart first, then their mind.